Pilfered from ishie, a "year in review" meme, because I want to reflect on the incredible, life-changing year that was 2008:

Where did you begin 2008?The 2007 holiday season was very busy for Jack and me. We visited his family in California from December 14-25, came back to the DC area for a day and a half, and then went to Boston from December 27-31. Our flight back home on New Year's Eve arrived around 7 or 8 in the evening, and we went straight from the airport to Jack's best friend's apartment in Crystal City. We rang in the New Year with him, his fiancé, and his family, surrounded by delicious homemade Syrian food, a very hyper toddler, and lots of good cheer. I was about 29 or 30 weeks pregnant at the time, and Meghan was moving like a madwoman inside of me. Little did I know that was nothing compared to how she'd be outside of the womb!

I was also newly out of work, as I had left my job mid-December to go on early (and ultimately permanent) maternity leave. It was a new beginning for me, and I was feeling it every day.

What was your relationship status by Valentine' s Day?Happily married and ecstatic (and anxious!) about Meghan's impending arrival. I also came down with a bad cold on Valentine's Day and spent the next week, including my birthday, being all clogged up, but unwilling to take cold medication (on account of the pregnancy).

Were you in school (anytime this year)?*sigh* I'm still in school. As in, my poor master's degree remains unfinished, pending my writing of a term paper and a thesis. One of my goals is to get the term paper in before May, so that I don't break the professor's prior record of having a student turn in a paper three years late. It's not even that it's that hard to write; I just need to find the motivation and book Meghan-watching time with Jack.

Did you have to go to the hospital?Yep, for Meghan's birth, but thankfully not for my ulcerative colitis, which has been in remission for 20 months -- the longest amount of time ever in the going-on-14 years that I've had this disease! I was in the hospital for four nights (including the night I gave birth), because Meghan had jaundice and had to spend time under the phototherapy lights. I do plan to write up the story of Meghan's birth and hospital stay, but I will save that for another time.

Did you have any encounters with the police?Unless you count when we went to the police station to make sure we had our car seat installed correctly, no.

Where did you go on vacation?HAHAHAHAHA! Not with an infant! We did go to Antigua for a babymoon, but that was in October 2007. But after our end-of-2007 trip to Boston, the only other place I went was Atlanta for my BFF's baby shower.

What did you purchase that was over $500?Yeaaaaahhhh. I'm sure there were a number of items. I'm sure all the BPAL I bought adds up to well over that. And we just swapped out our Infiniti FX for a Mercedes ML 320 Bluetek. And then there was furniture.... I don't even want to think about it. Moving along....

Did you know anybody who got married?My brother and Jack's BFF!

Did you move anywhere?To Mommyville. And the Land of No Sleep.

What sporting events did you attend?We went to four different Orioles-Red Sox games at Camden Yards. Meghan enjoyed every one of them!

Where do you live now?In northern Virginia, in the townhouse we bought almost 2.5 years ago.

Describe your birthday?Well, I was still getting over the really bad cold I came down with on Valentine's Day, so that sucked. But Jack surprised me by making last-minute reservations at 2941, a really swank restaurant nearby. We've been pretty low key about birthdays over the past several years, but it was a nice surprise to go somewhere fancy, especially since we knew everything would change once Meghan came along. Unfortunately, my nasal congestion made it hard for me to truly enjoy the food, and of course, being pregnant, I couldn't drink any wine, but it was still a really nice evening.

What's the one thing you did but thought you would never do in 2008?I'm sure there were a bazillion things I swore I would never do as a mother, but ended up doing anyway, like co-sleeping. But I can't think of anything really major that I thought I wouldn't do. I mean, I gave birth with no anesthesia, but I had been planning to do that. Hadn't expected to add pitocin to the mix, though, so maybe I'll count that: giving birth naturally WITH pitocin.

What has/have been your favorite moment(s)?I'm not going to say Meghan's birth itself, because that was full of turmoil and screaming and crazy intense pain. Don't get me wrong: The birth was definitely amazing and memorable -- and not just the birth itself, but the process leading up to it, where Jack, my mom, my dad, my brother, and my sister-in-law were all supporting and helping me through my labor in invaluable, intimate, and important ways. But my favorite moments are some of the little bitty moments with Meghan, like being on the receiving end of one of her joyful smiles or the time several days ago she drifted off to sleep in my arms as I stared into her face. It's during those times that I'm filled with an incomprehensible amount of happiness and wonder.

What's something you learned about yourself?I am capable of so much, both mentally and physically. I can actually take care of an infant competently. Whenever I'm afraid of trying something, I need to just do it; a lot of the time, it takes confidence rather than special talents. And, like Meghan, I am hellbent on being independent and not accepting help from others unless I have no choice.

Any new additions to your family?Hmmm. Oh, right. Yes. :D

Made new friends?Yep, through a local mom's group. And a few people here on my flist! ♥

Favorite Night[s] out?Well, I don't get many of those anymore, but I did enjoy seeing Coldplay back in August, even though I was dwelling on Meghan (who was being babysat by my parents) and the potentially engorged state of my boobs most of the time.

Any regrets?I wish I had blogged more about Meghan, especially during her early months. But I'm not really sure that's a regret, because if I had been blogging, I wouldn't have been holding her, snuggling with her, staring at her, etc. I do sort of regret wasting precious hours of life watching A Shot at Love 2 With Tila Tequila.

What do you want to change in 2009?I'd like to read more. And sleep more. And write more. And knit more. And, along those lines, I'd like to manage my time better. ...and as evidenced by the time I'm spending on this meme, I'm not off to a good start! :P

Other than home, where did you spend most of your time?At restaurants.

Change your hairstyle?Not really. Although I did manage to dye my hair back to its natural dark brown, only to discover that no one really liked it that way, so now I've got some golden/auburn highlights again, albeit subtle ones.

How old did you turn this year?31. But that doesn't bother me. I feel ageless at heart.

Do you have a New Year's resolution?Lose the baby weight. And read and sleep and write and knit more. And manage my time better. *sigh*

Anything embarrassing?No. I'm not easily embarrassed, though.

Got arrested?Nope.

Did you get sick this year?Well, aside from the cold I got in February, I had a million colds and allergy issues after giving birth. But no intestinal issues, and for this I am profoundly thankful.

Start a new hobby?Does mothering count?! I don't have time for hobbies, yo! I can barely squeeze in my fandom stuff as it is!

Are you happy to see 2008 go?I don't know. It was a good year, especially compared with the previous two. It is the year of my daughter's birth. But I'm also ready to enjoy 2009.